Sierra Diablo Cave

TX: Hudspeth Co.: ca. 1660 m

Age. Mid/Late Wisconsin/Holocene. Presence
of the Aztlán Rabbit and Stock's Vampire Bat strongly suggests that a portion of
the fauna dates to before late Wisconsin times, as does the single radiocarbon date of
about 35,000 BP. Presumably late Wisconsin material also is represented since there is
no indication of the cave entrance having been closed during the time that animal
remains were deposited. There is obvious Holocene archaeological material present.

General Description. Small, south-facing cave in the rimrock of the Diablo
Plateau, Rio Grande drainage.

Discussion. The cave has been badly disturbed by pot hunters. Some
paleontological specimens were recovered in about 1966. More recently (2011),
archaeological and paleontological excavations were carried out by researchers from the
University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Further excavations were done in June of 2012
supported in part by Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona and Archaeological
Research Fund. All fossil material is housed at UTEP. The faunal list includes both
Holocene and Pleistocene material.

Taxa deemed likely to occur within the vicinity at present or historically are
marked by an asterisk following the listing; those without the asterisk almost
certainly are Pleistocene in age. Current presence in the area does not rule out those
taxa also having been present in the Pleistocene; Pleistocene presence supported by
stratigraphic data are noted by presence of "P" following the asterisk.